Time to Heal Read online

  The idea of the BGEI program (or the BeeGee as Whitney privately referred to it) was to find more creatures like the ones the tharps had been developed from and bring them back to the Mother Ship. There Kindred scientists could manipulate their DNA to reinforce positive traits while also eradicating negative ones.

  Some people complained that this kind of genetic engineering was “playing God” but Whitney didn’t see it that way. The Kindred never took sentient species who were part of a community or civilization. And they were never cruel to the creatures they captured—all testing was done very humanely and without damaging the organism.

  Plus, as long as I’m part of the BeeGee, I get to study all the wild, crazy alien animals I want, Whitney thought to herself, touching up her “whiskers” some more with the gold eyeliner pencil. That probably didn’t sound very scientific or academic but she couldn’t help herself—she had a bubbly personality and a burning curiosity that couldn’t be contained. She was about to go on a mission to a whole new world and she was going to be back in time for the Halloween party her friend Kat was throwing which was supposed to be amazing.

  Whitney grinned at her cat face in the viewer hung discretely in the corner of her lab. She had her dream job, great friends, a home on the Mother Ship, and a party to look forward to. What more could a girl ask for?

  How about a man to go to the party with? whispered a little voice in her head. Whitney frowned. Well, Kat had offered to introduce her to some eligible Twin Kindred at the party who were friends of her mates, Deep and Lock but Whitney wasn’t sure she wanted that. One man seemed like enough to handle at a time to her.

  Of course, Sophie had also offered to set her up with a Blood Kindred friend of her mate, Sylvan, who was the head of the Kindred High Council. That sounded intriguing too but Whitney wasn’t sure about the fangs. Sophie had assured her the bite of a Blood Kindred was incredibly pleasurable but somehow it just didn’t seem appealing.

  What does sound appealing then—a Beast Kindred maybe? whispered that same little voice in her head. Maybe one Beast Kindred in particular…hmmm?

  Whitney tried to push the little voice away. There was no use thinking of him that way. It was more than obvious the Beast Kindred in question wasn’t interested in the slightest so why should she bother? Swishing her long black braids over one shoulder, she gave herself a sidelong glance in the viewer. She didn’t need to worry about a man she couldn’t have—she had it going on. She was plus-sized but a lot of Kindred guys seemed to like that. She had a pretty face and a successful career. When she was good and ready she’d find the right guy—she was sure of it.

  And in the mean time, she intended to have some fun!

  Alone in her lab, Whitney lifted up her voice and belted for all she was worth.

  “Never stopping, I was always searching for that perfect love.

  The kind the girls like me dream of.

  Now you’re here like you’ve been before and you know just what I need.

  It took some time for me to see that

  You give good love to me, babeee!

  So good—”

  “Is there such a thing as bad love?” a gruff voice asked from behind her.

  Whitney spun around, her hand going to her heart, which was suddenly beating a mile a minute under her conservative white lab coat.

  “Oh my God, Rafe—I didn’t hear you come in!” she exclaimed. “Don’t sneak up on a girl like that!”

  “I wasn’t sneaking. You were just singing to loudly to hear my entrance.”

  The tall Beast Kindred crossed his arms over his broad chest and frowned at her. He was almost seven feet and extremely muscular, like all Kindred, with wild black hair and the golden eyes of his kind. But there was something about him—a reserve Whitney couldn’t seem to break through even though she’d been trying for the last six months, which was how long they’d been working together.

  Rafe was her pilot slash bodyguard—the one who accompanied her to the alien worlds she visited looking for new species. They always went in a group with other scientists but he was assigned exclusively to her. Everywhere she went, Whitney could be certain that his dark, glowering face would be looking over her shoulder, watching for danger at all times.

  Despite his dour expression and serious personality, Whitney kind of liked her Beast Kindred bodyguard. In fact, when Rafe had first been assigned to her, she’d even had fantasies of him picking him up and carrying her away from danger, much like her namesake in the movie, The Bodyguard, which she had seen more times than she could count due to her mom’s Whitney Houston obsession. Sure, she was plus-sized but these Kindred guys were strong and what girl wouldn’t dream of being swept off her feet by a tall, dark handsome warrior?

  But over time, it became clear that nothing like that was going to happen. Rafe was too stern to ever crack a smile, even when she teased him, and most of the worlds they had visited in their six months working together had been interesting but uneventful. How could he possibly pick her up and carry her out of danger when the most threatening thing they’d faced so far were some pretty aggressive birds that looked like a cross between a duck and a peacock?

  Pea-ducks, Whitney had dubbed the strange creatures. They had webbed feet and long, drooping rainbow feathers. They also laid extremely large eggs with double the rate of protein of chicken eggs so she had collected several breeding pairs and brought them back to the Mother Ship for study. But aside from getting pecked a couple of times with their broad, flat bills, she was never in any life-threatening danger.

  Not that Rafe would get sentimental over saving my life, she thought ruefully, staring up at the big Beast Kindred. He’d probably just sling me over his shoulder and then plunk me down when we got to safety and think nothing of it. She sighed mentally. A true romantic, Rafe was definitely not and there was no use wishing he was.

  “What were you singing, anyway? More music by the Earth musician you are named for?” he surprised her by asking.

  “Well, yes, actually.” Whitney gave him a sidelong look. She sometimes played Whitney music in the lab when she was alone and sang along to it and once or twice Rafe had come in unexpectedly and caught her at it. But she hadn’t thought it had made an impression on him.

  “You have…a lovely voice,” he surprised her by saying. “I have often thought so but the songs you sing are very strange.”

  “You better hope my Mama never hears you say that,” Whitney remarked. “She’d never forgive you. Besides, what’s strange about it?”

  He frowned. “All the songs you sing seem to do with love and longing in some way.”

  “Yeah? So?” Whitney took a step closer to him, hands on her hips. “And what are the songs on your planet about? On Rageron?” Which was the Beast Kindred home world.

  He shrugged. “War…conquest. Pulverizing your enemies. Some are songs of lament for fallen warriors and the dead.”

  “Wow, that’s real hot stuff,” Whitney said flatly. “Thanks but no thanks. Everybody knows all the best songs are about love.” Throwing back her head she sang, “And I will always love you! Oh, I will always love you!”

  Rafe’s golden eyes widened but that was all the reaction she got out of him. Which was par for the course, Whitney thought. If there was a more impassive, stoic warrior in the entire Kindred fleet she would eat her lab coat. Sighing, she gave up.

  “Why are you here, anyway? Did you come so I could help you pick out a costume for Kat’s Halloween party?” she asked.

  His frown deepened. “I was invited to the party but I do not intend to go. I do not intend to dress up as someone or something I am not.” He pointed at her face. “Is that the cause of your strange facial markings?”

  “This is cat make-up. I’m a cat! Mmmrrrow.” Whitney winked at him, as she purred. Flirting with her stoic bodyguard had become a kind of habit even though she knew that Rafe had no interest in her. It was kind of fun to see how far she could go before she got a reaction out of him and hi